Fruit & Nut Bars {Copycat KIND Bars}

Guys. I can’t even tell you how excited I am to finally be sharing this recipe with you. I first encountered KIND fruit and nut bars last summer when Ben and I ran a 5K, and they were provided after the finish. After that, I started seeing them everywhere and have grabbed them many times as an on-the-go snack. Airport, coffee shop, whatever – if I need a snack, that is probably what I will choose. I have been trying to find a homemade version since summertime. I tried several recipes, attempted coming up with my own, and was met with numerous flops and a ton of wasted ingredients.

But I don’t give up so easily. After a couple of months since my last attempt, I saw this version and knew there was hope. There was a lot of fist pumping going on in my kitchen this weekend when these came out of the pan, sliced cleanly, and tasted spot on. I’m sure I’ll be playing around with some other flavor variations now that I have a basic formula that works. If you are a fan of KIND bars, I hope you love this homemade version as much as I do!

Yield about 12 servings

Ingredients

3¾ oz. (¾ cup) whole almonds*
¾ oz. (6 tbsp.) brazil nuts*
1½ oz. (6 tbsp.) walnuts*
3¾ oz. (¾ cup) peanuts*
½ oz. ( cup) puffed whole grain/crispy brown rice cereal
2¼ tsp. ground flaxseed
2½ oz. (about ½ cup) dried apricots, chopped
2¾ oz. (about ¾ cup) raisins
5¼ oz. (½ cup plus 2½ tbsp.) honey
3¾ oz. (7 tbsp.) brown rice syrup (or golden cane syrup)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional)
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. coarse salt

Directions

01
Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Coarsely chop the almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped nuts with the peanuts, puffed rice cereal, ground flaxseed, dried apricots and raisins.
02
In a small saucepan, combine the honey and brown rice or golden cane syrup along with the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean. Heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mixture registers 260˚ F on a candy or instant read thermometer. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the vanilla and salt.
03
Immediately pour the honey mixture into the bowl with the nuts. Stir everything together until evenly mixed and coated. Pour into the prepared pan and press down in an even layer with a piece of lightly greased parchment or the greased bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass. Let stand at least 30-60 minutes to set. If needed, refrigerate to firm up. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into bars and, if storing, place parchment paper between bars or wrap individually to prevent sticking. Keep chilled to ensure that the bars stay intact and keep their shape.
04
*For best flavor, the nuts should be toasted in a skillet or roasted in a 350˚ F oven for about 10 minutes. Toasting in a skillet is my personal preference because I can monitor the browning more closely. If you buy pre-roasted nuts and they are salted, omit the salt in the recipe.

Source

adapted from Sweet Treats Baking, originally from The Yummy Life